Reiki and the Healing Buddha [Paperback]

Maureen Kelly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 2000

This book reconnects Reiki with its Buddhist antecedents and provides both the experienced practitioner and the interested lay person with new insights and viewpoints on Reiki.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The authoris a Reiki master residing in New Zealand. She was the editor of the "Reiki news", in New cZealand. this book is the result of intensive research into the history and background ot reiki. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Lotus Press (September 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0914955926
• ISBN-13: 978-0914955924
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,043,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not factual - not even close., March 7, 2006

By 

Mikkyo "aireon" (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reiki and the Healing Buddha (Paperback)

As with other reviewers who are both involved with Buddhism and Reiki, this manual is misleading in its content. It might sound good, but it is not based on factual information.

I am a Reiki Master Teacher in both Usui Reiki Ryoho and Usui Shiki Ryoho for over 10 years. I have also been involved with Esoteric Buddhism for well over 20 years. I am also a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and Bodyworker. I teach Bodywork. I also have a very solid understanding of Eastern Culture & Bodywork, particularly that of Japan. Having great knowledge in these fields, I can speak from fact.

Here is a review of this book that I made for another forum:


Pros
.... Still out on this one

Cons
The book is terribly inaccurate. First, it bases the practice of Reiki on Buddhism, then after acknowledging that the different paths of Buddhism are not the same, she goes on to use various paths of Buddhism to support her idea that Reiki is Buddhist by creating the idea that these various forms of Buddhism are the same. Most of the book itself is based on some sort of Chinese Buddhist representation - not Japanese - definitely not Esoteric Buddhist.

Being a practicing Buddhist - in Japanese Esoteric Buddhism - I can say that Reiki is NOT Buddhist healing. Even though Usui-San was Buddhist, and he did base some of his practices of his spiritual system on Buddhist teachings, the practice of Usui's hands on healing was based more on the application of Kiko (Japanese Qi Gung) and early forms of Shinto hands on healing than anything Buddhist. Various forms of Buddhism does have hands on healing - though it requires faith in (and dedication to) Buddhism for it to work AND it differs greatly from Reiki (See "Kaji - Empowerment and Healing in Esoteric Buddhism" by Oda for more details on this subject).

Second, Kelly not only links Reiki to Buddhism, she goes further and links Reiki with the healing practices of Northern India and Mesopotamia, claiming that they are one and the same thing. Speaking out against this idea, most Eastern cultures have some belief in energy and energy work (as do they have some sort of empowerment / blessing techniques). Most of these cultures also have some form of touch therapy that works with this energy. Interestingly enough, some of these forms of energy work also have a form of blessing/initiation/attunement process. These similar traits, however, do not mean to say that ALL Eastern forms of energy work and hands on healing are the same. Quite the contrary, some cultures may hold very different beliefs altogether - such as India with the 5 element theory of the tattva (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit) and the Kundalini and Chakras systems vs. the Chinese with a polaric Yin/Yang balance, elemental system of wood, metal, water, fire, & earth and their use of the meridian system (which, I may ad, Kelly also links together).

Simply, there is no direct link to Reiki in any Buddhist text - Japanese or otherwise. What is more interesting, this text links Reiki to Buddhism through representation and comparison, yet, fails to actually show that they are directly linked in any way.

In Conclusion
Reiki is Japanese, plain and simple. It does not come from Tibet, China, India, Mesopotamia, or Sedona Arizona. Reiki is not a Buddhist practice, nor does it hold any esoteric link to Buddhist teachings or scriptures - unless you want to try and relate them yourself. It definitely isn't related to the Chinese Bu ga mandala. Reiki is not related to any other Eastern healing modality - save that of those popular in Japan during Usui's time.

*****

Lastly, the myth that Reiki comes from Tibet is very wrong. Esoteric Buddhism reached Japan before it did Tibet. It could not have originated from some place it didnt even exist yet. See this site for more details.....
[...]

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A clearly-written and graceful book, August 2, 2001

By 

Marty Pinon (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reiki and the Healing Buddha (Paperback)

This book is an extraordinary (and extraordinarily clear) discussion of the Buddhist roots of Reiki. The author has in great detail put Reiki practice in the context of meditation on the Healing, or Medicine Buddha within the Esoteric Buddhist tradition.

I am a Reiki Master who previously searched on my own for more information on this subtle healing energy. This book clears up many earlier inconsistencies in writings about Reiki's origins and gives a detailed and quite beautiful view on what Reiki's roots may ultimately be.

This book is not just beautiful for the concepts discussed, but also for its graceful, measured, and lucid presentation. A tremendous spiritual volume.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not backed up with factual information, May 26, 2005

By 

Elizabeth R. Walter (Wheatfield, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Reiki and the Healing Buddha (Paperback)

I am both a reiki master and Tibetan buddhist practitioner. Medicine Buddha has been my main devotion and study for several years, so when I saw this book, I found it extremely interesting to think of a connection between reiki and buddhism.

Unfortunately, through well written and thought provoking, the author fails to back up statements such as "Because Reiki comes from Buddhism all symbols within Buddhism must have some relevance to Reiki." That's an interesting statement, but why exactly should I believe it? Who exactly said or proved that reiki comes from buddhism? She includes no footnotes whatsoever, nor does she refer to the facts that would make this statement true. This is one of many statements that are not backed up with clear evidence.

I also found it a little strange that she refers to this deity as the "healing buddha." In buddhist circles, the proper name is Medicine Buddha, Sangye Menla. In all my teachings, I have never heard the term 'healing buddha'. That indicates, to me, that the author did not have much contact with actual buddhist teachers or practitioners when researching the material.